Electronic organ with rhythmic accompaniment and bass

ABSTRACT

An electronic organ having upper and lower and pedal keyboards and selectively adjustable for conventional playing in which each key of the lower keyboard and the pedals of the pedal keyboard play single notes, or for rhythmic playing in which selected ones of the keys of the lower keyboard play chords while also alternately playing notes pertaining to the pedal keyboard related to the respective chord. During rhythmic playing, electronic gates in the tone signal paths are controlled rhythmically by control pulses so as to pass tone signals according to rhythmic patterns. Gates for the pedal tones pass single related base notes while gates for the lower keyboard pass notes corresponding to chords related to the base notes.

United States Patent 1 Hebeisen et al.

[58] Field Assignee:

Filed:

Appl.

Inventors: Richard llebeisen, Jasper; William Tevault, l-luntingburg, both of 1nd.

The Jasper Electronics Manufacturing Corporation, Jasper, 1nd.

Nov. 15, 1971 No.: 198,801

US. Cl ..84/1.03, 84/l.17, 84/DlG. 22 Int. Cl. ..Gl0h 1/00 of Search ..84/l.0l, 1.03, 1.17, 1.24, 84/DIG. 2, DIG. 22, DIG. 23

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Jan. 2, 1973 3,567,838 3/1971 Tennes ..84/l.0l 3,590,129 6/1971 Freeman .....84/l.01 3,624,263 11/1971 Uchiyama ..84/1 .03

Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Stanley J. Witkowski Anomey-Melvin A. Crosby [5 7 ABSTRACT An electronic organ having upper and lower and pedal keyboards and selectively adjustable for conventional playing in which each key of the lower keyboard and the pedals of the pedal keyboard play single notes, or for rhythmic playing in which selected ones of the keys of the lower keyboard play chords while also altemately playing notes pertaining to the pedal keyboard related to the respective chord. During rhythmic playing, electronic gates in the tone signal paths are controlled rhythmically by control pulses so as to pass tone signals according to rhythmic patterns. Gates for the pedal tones pass single related base notes while gates for the lower keyboard pass notes corresponding to chords related to the base notes.

21 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PR GRAMME!) RHYTHM PATENTEDJM 2 1915 3 708.604

sum u UF 4 ELECTRONIC ORGAN WITH RHYTIIMIC ACCOMPANIMENT AND BASS The present invention relates to electronic organs,

. and is particularly concerned with an electronic organ The present invention proposes an electronic organ which can play in the conventional manner with each key controlling a single tone and which, can also be adjusted to provide for a rhythmic bass accompaniment including rhythmic sounding of pedal tones by depressing a single key.

A particular object of the present invention is to accomplish the foregoing in a relatively inexpensive manner.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an electronic organ including a circuit arrangement in which certain ones of the keys of the accompaniment manual are operable for causing both chords and pedal tones to sound and in which the discord that could accompany the depressing of more than one of the keys in -the accompaniment manual at the same time is prevented.

Another object is the provision of an electronic organ capable of being simply adjusted into a plurality of different playing modes according to the preference of the organ player. Y

A still further object is the provision of an electronic organ in which a selected group of keys of the accompaniment manual which are adjacently disposed are each adapted for causing a different chord sound to be developed by the organ and with indicating means for showing the chords which the keys will cause to sound being disposed directly above the keys and becoming plainly visible only when the organ is adjusted to play in chord mode.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of. an electronic organ. a

FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic block diagram of the organ circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3A shows a portion of the circuit pertaining to the accompaniment manual of the organ.

FIG. 3B shows the continuation of the circuit of FIG. 3A to the right side of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 shows details of a matrix forming a part of the circuit of FIG 3A.

FIG. 5 shows a typical operating condition of an organ according to the present invention by illustrating the control pulses in the system and the periods during which pedal tones and chords sound.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, an electronic organ is provided in which, normally, each key of the solo and accompaniment manuals and the pedal clavier will control a single tone when depressed. Certain keys of the accompaniment manual, say, 24 or 25 thereof at the lefthand side, or any other selected number, are provided with extra switches, and these switches are adapted for keying chords and pedal tones.

When the organ is adjusted for normal playing, the

extra switches are ineffective, and when the organ is v adjusted for chord playing, the extra switches are effective, while the regular switches operated by the keys for controlling the single tones pertaining thereto are made ineffective.

The switches for the accompaniment manual controlling the single tones pertaining thereto and the chords pertaining thereto are made effective and ineffective by providing a pair of gates, one through'which the regular tone signals from the accompaniment manual pass and the other through which the chord signals pass. When either gate is enabled, the other is disabled and vice versa, so that the accompaniment manual can selectively play a single tone for each key depressed or can play a chordfor each of the keys depressed which are arranged to key tones to make up chords.-

Further, the output from the accompaniment manual can be caused to sound rhythmically by periodically interrupting the signal path according to a programmed rhythmic pattern.

The switches operated by the aforementioned keys of the accompaniment manual which key pedal tones and the switches operated by the pedals which control the pedal tones are made selectively effective by changing the supply of keying voltage from one set' of switches to the other.

The pedal tones to be played when the organ is playing with an automatic bass consist of a first pedal tone, usually the key signature, and a second pedal tone, usually the fifth of the scale, and which may be at a pitch either higher or lower than the key signature These tones are referred to as major and minor respectively.

Each of the accompaniment manual keys that is adapted for causing a chord to sound, keys the keyer of a major and minor pedal tone pertaining to the selected chord. The-signals pertaining to the major tones are conveyedto one gate and the signals pertaining to the minor tones to another gate, and these gates are made alternately effective when the organ is playing chord mode, so that first one of the pedal tones will sound and then the other. The control of the gates is effected in conformitywith pulses derived from the same pulse source that drives the aforementioned programmed rhythm pattern. v

Inasmuch as pressing of two of the chord playing accompaniment manual keys could result in a discord, a cancel circuit is provided, so that, whenever the organ is adjusted to play chords, and two of the chord playing accompaniment keys are depressed at one time, the gate through which the signals pertaining to the chord tones pass is automatically disabled. The pedal tones can also be disabled at the same time and any discord is thereby preventedfrom either of the accompaniment or pedal keyboards.

3 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a more or less conventional electronic organ comprising a case 10, having therein an upper or solo manual, or keyboard, at 12, and a lower or accompaniment manual, or keyboard, at 14. The organ, furthermore, comprises a pedal clavier, or keyboard, at 16.

As is known, each keyboard of the organ has associated therewith voice circuits which can be made selectively effective and ineffective as by the tab switches indicated at 18.

According to the present invention, a certain group of keys of the lower keyboard 14, say, 24 or 25 at the left-hand end thereof, or any other selected number thereof, as indicated by the bracket 20, are adapted, upon adjustment of a selector, to cause chords to sound. Since the group of keys indicated by are immediately adjacent to one another, it follows that each key does not necessarily play a chord which includes therein the tone normally pertaining to the respective key and, accordingly, at the back of the keys of the lower keyboard, is an inclined panel 22, referred to as a key slip, which is provided with indicia in the range of the group of keys at 20 which will indicate the chords pertaining to the respective keys of the group.

The indicia on key slip 22 are normally not discernable to the organ player, but become readily discemable upon adjustment of the organ into chord playing mode by the energization of lamps 24 which are cooperatively arranged with the key slipand adapted to illuminate the key slip, for example, from the back.

By forming the key slip of a light conducting plastic material with an opaque back and, by engraving the indicia through the opaque back, and providing suitable lens means behind the key slip, the indicia become readily visible upon energization of lamps 24. For a full disclosure of the structure and operation of the key slip arrangement, reference may be had to copending application, Ser. No. 177,578, filed Sept. 2, 1971, in the names of Richard M. l-Iebeisen and Samuel C. Voelkel, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

For adjusting of the organ between conventional mode and chord playing or automatic bass mode, selector means in the form of switches 26 are provided in any suitable location on the organ, for example, on the panel carrying the tab switches 18 or on one of the other of the check blocks at the end of one of the upper and lower keyboards. v

A greatly simplified showing of the circuit of the organ of the present invention will be seen in FIG. 2, which is in the form of a block diagram and which does not show any coupling or other known refinements in organ circuits. j

In FIG. 2, a tone generator is indicated at 30. The tone generator is a known device having a plurality of output terminals at which different frequencies, usually in the form of rectangular waves, are supplied which are related to each according to the diatonic scale and covering a range of, say, four to six octaves.

Certain of the frequencies are supplied to the upper manual which, in FIG. 2, is represented by a single key 32. Each key 32 operates a respective switch 34 which is connected between a source of keying voltage and the control terminal of a signal control means such as the electronic keyer 36 which is interposed between the respective tenninal of tone generator 30 and the voice circuits pertaining to the upper manual and which are represented by the rectanglev VS. The signal can also be switched directly by the switch. The output side of the voice circuits VS is connected to the input side of an electroacoustic transducer 38 made up of amplifier means A and speaker means S.

As to the accompaniment manual, a key of the group I of keys indicated at 20 in FIG. 1 is shown at 40, and it will be seen to operate a four blade gang switch, the lower blade of which at 42 operates the signal control means or electronic keyer 44 pertaining to the tone normally under the control of the respective key. Electronic keyers are not the only control means contemplated but are shown for the sake of simplicity. For example, direct switching of the signals by means of key actuated switch blades can be employed.

Another of the accompaniment keys' not within the range 20 and, therefore, not adapted for playing chords, is indicated at 46, and it operates a single switch 48 controlling a respective keyer 50.

The input sides of keyers 44 and 50 are connected'to respective terminals of tone generator 30, and the output sides are connected together and lead to the input side of a gate G1, the output side of which is connected with one side of the accompaniment manual voice circuits represented by the rectangle marked VA, the output side of which is connected to the input side of the electroacoustic transducer 38.

The pedal clavier of the organ of FIG. 2 is represented by a single pedal 52 which operates a switch 54 that controls a pedal tone keyer 56 which is connected through a gate G3 to the pedal voice circuit arrangement VP, the output side of which is connected to the input side of electroacoustic transducer 38. In the case of each of the solo and accompaniment manuals and the pedal clavier, it will be understood that there would be a plurality of keyers, or signal control means, and a key corresponding to each thereof. For the sake of simplicity, however, the smallest number of keys necessary to show the operation of the organ according to the present invention has been illustrated in FIG. 2.

The tone generator 30 also has a connection to further keyers, one of which is shown at 58, each of which is supplied with, for example, three pitches, via a suitable combining matrix, and with the said pitches making up a chord of a certain character. The output side of keyer 58 is connected through a second gate G2 with the input side of the accompaniment voice circuit arrangement VA and is adapted for being keyed by a second switch 60 operated by key 40 of the accompaniment manual within the range indicated at 20in FIG. 1. Each of the chord playing keys of the accompaniment manual has a respective switch 60 and a respective keyer 58 which keys a chord.

At this point, it will be evident that when gate G1 is enabled and gate G2 is disabled, all of the accompaniment keys will play in a conventional manner, passing respective tone signals through gate G1 and voice circuit arrangement VA to the electroacoustic transducer.

However, when gate G2,is enabled and gate G1 is disabled, only those accompaniment keys within the range indicated at 20 in FIG. 1, referred to a chord playing keys, will be effective and each thereof will key a respective keyer 58 and cause a signal pertaining to the respective chord sound to pass via gate G2 to the accompaniment voicing at VA and then to the electroacoustic transducer 38.

Each accompaniment switch 40, within the range indicated at 20 in FIG. 1, namely, the chord playing keys, also operates a third switch 62, which is connected via an isolating diode D1 with pedal tone keyer 56 and via a diode D2 with a second pedal tone keyer 64. The pedal tone from keyer $6, and which is referred to as a major is usually the signature tone of the chord pertaining to the respective key, whereas the pedal tone keyed by keyer 64 is another harmonically related tone of the same scale and is referred to as the minor and may, for example, be the fifth of the scale, or an octave of the major tone. In practice, there is about an equal number of the major and minor pedal keyers with the keys of the pedal clavier operating only the major keyers.

Keyer 56 supplies its pedal tone signal to gate G3 and keyer 64 supplies its pedal tone signal to gate G4 and the output sides of these gates are connected together and to the input side of the pedal voice circuits VP, the output side of which is connected to the input side of electroacoustic transducer 38. At this point, it will be apparent that when gate G3 is enabled and gate G4 is disabled, the pressing of key 40 will cause the major pedal tone to sound, and when gate G4 is enabled and gate G3 is disabled, the minor pedal tone will sound.

An arrangement is provided for making gates G3 and G4 alternately effective for predetermined intervals so that when a chord playing key 40 is depressed, the major and minor pedal tones will sound alternately with an interval therebetween.

Voice circuits VA and VP are in series with further gates 105 and 107, respectively, which are arranged in a known manner to be pulsed open and closed according to respective programmed rhythmpatterns.

Turning now to the manner in which the several gates referred to are controlled, gate G1 has a control terminal connected to a switch terminal 70, and gate G2 has a control terminal connected to switch terminal 72 via a diode D3 and to a switch terminal 74 via a diode D5.

Switch terminals 70 and 72 have associated therewith a blade 76 connected to a source of gate disabling voltage, so that when blade 76 rests in its lower position on terminal 72, gate G2 is disabled and gate G1 is enabled, whereas when blade 76 restsin its upper position on terminal 70, gate G1 is disabled and gate G2 is enabled.

Associated with terminal 74 is aswitch blade 78 connected to move together with switch blade 76 and resting on terminal 74 when in an upper position. Blade 78 is connected to one side of a circuit component C1, the other side of which is connected to a wire 79. Wire 79 is connected via a resistor R1 with one side of a fourth switch 80, operated by chord playing accompaniment manual key 40. Each key 40 has a switch 80 pertaining thereto and each switch 80 is connected through a respective resistor R1 to wire 79.

The component Cl is so selected that, if switch blade 78 is in its upper position resting on terminal 74, and more than one of the keys 40 are depressed, the voltage on wire 79 will actuate component Cl and supply gate disabling voltage through blade 78 to terminal 74 and V diode D5 to the control terminal of gate G2 and disable the gate. If only one of the keys 40 is depressed, however, the voltage charge on wire 79 is not sufficient to actuate component C1 and gate G2 remains in enabled condition.

A wire 82, connected to terminal 74, leads to the pedal tone keyer arrangement so that the supply of a voltage to terminal 74 which will disable gate G2 will also disable the pedal keyer arrangement and prevent the sounding of pedal notes. In this manner, the discord which would result from the simultaneous depressing of more than one chord playing key is prevented.

For making switches 62 pertaining to chord playing accompaniment manual keys 40 and the switches 54 pertaining to pedals 52 selectively effective, the said switches are connected to terminals 84 and 86 of a' switch having a blade 88 connected to a source of keying voltage adapted to rest on one or the other of terminals 84 and 86. v

Switch blades 76, 78 and 88 are all connected together to be adjusted at the same time and when blades 76 and 78 are in the upper position thereof, blade 88 is in its upper position resting on terminal 84 and supplies keying voltage to switches 62. Switches 62 are thus made effective when gate G1 is disabled and chord gate G2 is enabled.

When blades 76 and 78 are in the lower position thereof, for conventional organ operation, and gate G1 is enabled and gate G2 is disabled, blade 88 rests on terminal 86 and supplies keying voltage to pedal switches 54. Also, connected to blades 76, 78, and 88 to move therewith is a still further switch blade 90 for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The control terminals of gates G3 and G4 are connected to the output terminals of bistable multivibrator 92 having an input terminal connected to a switch blade 94 adapted for being closed on a terminal 96 leading to the output side of a source of pulses 98. The source of pulses has a control terminal which starts the source when grounded and which is connected to a blade adapted to be closed on a terminal 102 and which terminal is connected to a blade 104 adapted to close on an upper terminal 106 or on a grounded lower terminal 108.

Terminal 106 is connected to switch blade 90 which is closeable on terminal leading to a component C2 which, upon the supply of a keying voltage to the pedal keyer by the keying of any of the pedal keyers, develops substantially ground voltage on the side connected to terminal 110 which will initiate operation of the source of pulses 98.

Similarly, a component C3 is connected between wire 79 and terminal 106 and is adapted, in response to closing of any of the switches 80 pertaining to the chord playing accompaniment manual keys 40, to supply substantially ground voltage to terminal 106, which will start the source of pulses at 98 to running.

The source of pulses at 98 can thus be caused to run by closing blade 100 on contact 102 and then moving blade 104 into engagement with grounded contact 108, or can be started at the beginning of each measure by closing switch blade 104 on terminal 106 whereupon the depressing of any chord playing key will start the pulse source, or the depressing of any pedal 52, or the keying of a pedal note, will start the pulse source. The source can be caused to run continuously, if desired.

The source of pulses at 98 also drives a unit 99 which provides selectable programmed rhythm pulse outputs to wires.l01 and 103. Wires 101 and 103 lead to the control terminals of gates 105 and 107, respectively, which control the supply of accompaniment and pedal voices to the electroacoustic transducer 38. This arrangement for obtaining rhythmic bass and accompaniment is known.

Unit 99 has an on-off switch 97 and connected in parallel with the switch are the blades 93 and 91. Blade 93 is connected to blade 94 to open and close therewith and blade 91 is connected to blade 100 to open and close therewith.

A further switch blade 95 is also ganged with switch blade 94 and closes on ground when switch blades 93 and 94 are open. Blade 95 is connected via a diode with the control terminal of gate G3 so as to clamp the gate in conductive condition when the blade is closed on ground.

FIGS. 3A and 3B, taken together with FIG. 4, show more in detail the circuitry pertaining to the accompaniment manual and the pedal keyboards according to the present invention.

In FIG. 3A, the tone generator 30 supplies pitches in a conventional manner related according to the diatonic scale and ranging over several octaves.

The accompaniment keyboard 14 has three sections, 14a, 14b, and 14c, each supplying a respective portion Gla, Glb, and Glc of gate G1. Each of the said gates supplies a respective isolation preamplifier stage comprising transistors Q5, Q7, and Q9, respectively, and each of which, in turn, supplies the accompaniment voicing VA. Each key of the accompaniment keyboard is supplied by the tone generator with a respective pitch routed to the keying circuit controlled by a blade of the switch operated by the respective key.

The tone generator also supplies a range of pitches, two octaves, for example, to matrix M and which supplies chord signals to a buss 130 which, via preamplifying and isolating means 132, supplies gate G2, the output side of which is connected to the input side of one of the isolation stages for one of the sections of the accompaniment keyboard, for example, the stage comprising transistor Q7 and from which the chord signals pass to voicing VA. The chord section of matrix M is under the control of blades actuated by the accompaniment-keys in the range of bracket in FIG. 1 and which have been referred to as chord playing keys.

The aforementioned gates are in the form of FET transistors and the gate terminals of gates Gla, Glb, and G10 are resistively interconnected and to terminal pertaining to blade 76 of the selector switch S1. The gate terminal of gate G2 is connected via a resistor and diode D3 to the other terminal 72 pertaining to blade 76. Blade 76 is connected to a minus 20 volt supply and, when resting on terminal 70, holds gates Gla, Glb, and C10 nonconductive and, when resting on terminal 72, holds gate G2 nonconductive.

The tone generator 30 also supplies signals to the pair of pedal keyers 56 and 64. Keyer 56 is the major keyer and is supplied with signals at pitches extending over the range of the number of pedals in the pedal clavier. Keyer 56 is adapted to be keyed, during normal organ operation, by the pedals 52 of keyboard 16 with each pedal keying a single note.

The keyer 64 is the minor keyer and is supplied with as many pitches as may be required for the chords selected.

Pertaining to matrix M are switch blades actuated by the aforementioned chord playing keys of the accompanime'nt manual and each of which is operable, when the organ is adjusted to chord playing mode, to key a note from each of the keyers 56 and 64, the keyed notes being related as by being, for example, the key signature, or root, and the fifth of the corresponding scale, or an octave of the root.

When the chord playing keys are effective, the pedal clavier, or keyboard, is ineffective, and vice versa, and this is accomplished by blade 88 of switch S1. Blade 88 is connected to a source of keying voltage, minus 12 volts, for example, and when closed on terminal 86 makes the keys 52 of pedal clavier 18 effective and, when closed on terminal 84, makes the switch blades of the chord playing keys which are connected to key pedal tones effective.

Each of keyers 56 and 64 supplies tones related as octaves; for example, 8 foot and 16 foot tones. The 8 and 16 foot tones from minor pedal keyer 64 are supplied to the input terminals of gates G4a and 64b, making up gate G4, while the output terminals of the gates supply the pedal voicing VP.

The 8 and 16 foot tones from major pedal keyer 56 are similarly supplied to the input sides of gates G3A and G3b, making up gate G3, and then to pedal voicing VP.

Gates G3a, G3b, G4a, and G4!) are also FET transistors and each has a gate terminal.

For controlling the aforementioned gates to provide for periods of conductivity for gates G3a and G3b while gates G40 and G4!) are nonconductive and vice versa, a multistable multivibrator, or flip flop circuit, is provided at 92, and to which reference was made in the description of FIG. 2.

Multivibrator 92 has a control, or trigger, terminal 146 connected via resistor 148 to minus 20 volts and to the collector of a transistor Q25 having the emitter grounded and the base connected for receiving pulses. Multivibrator 92 has a first output terminal 150 comprising the collector of transistor Q28 and leading via resistor 152 and capacitor 154 to a wire having resistive connections with the gate terminals of gates 63a and G3b. The aforementioned wire is connected via adjustable resistor 156 to the minus 20 volt supply with diode D10 bypassing the resistor. The wire has a resistive connection with ground and is also connected to the collector of a transistor Q26 having the emitter grounded and is also connected via diode D11 with blade 95 of selector switch S2.

The second output terminal 160 of multivibrator 92 is similarly connected to the gate terminals of gates G4a and 04b via resistor 162 and capacitor 164 with the side of capacitor 164 opposite resistor 162 being connected via diode D12 and resistor 166 to a wire 168 and through adjustable resistor 171 to minus 20 volts with diode D13 bypassing the resistor. Wire 168 is connected to terminal 72 of switch S1 and via resistor 170 to the base of transistor Q26 and also is connected resistively to ground.

At this point, it will be apparent that, when switches S1 and S2 are in their upper positions, and there is a supply of pulses to the base of transistor Q25, the multivibrator 92 will operate and, in turn, cause gates G3a and 63b, on the one hand, and gates G40 and G4b on the other hand to go alternately conductive. However, if switch S1 is in the lower position, blade 76 rests on terminal 72 and the respective supply to wire 168 will make transistor Q26 go conductive and hold gates 63a and G3b conductive while gates G4a and 64b are held nonconductive by the negative supply to the gate terminals thereof via resistor 171.

The lamps 24, pertaining to key slip 22 which, when illuminated, shows the chords which the respective chord playing keys control, are in series with one side grounded and the other side connected to the collector of a transistor Q12, the emitter of which is connected to a plus 20 volt supply and the base of which is connected via a resistor 180 with the plus 20 volt supply and via resistor 182 with the collector of a transistor Q13 the emitter of which is connected to a minus 12 volts supply. The base of transistor Q13 is connected via resistor 184 with the plus 20 volts supply and via resistor 186 and diode D14 with terminal 72 of switch S1.

Resistor 184 is larger than resistor 186 so that, with blade 76 resting on terminal 72, transistors Q13 and Q12 are nonconductive and lamps 24 are not illuminated. When blade 76 rests on terminal 70 and is, thus, off terminal 76, transistors Q13 and Q12 go conductive and lamps 24 will become illuminated.

A further blade, 78 of switch S1, is engageable with a terminal 74 which is connected via diode D and resistor 188 with the gate terminal of gate G2. Blade 78 is connected to a cancel circuit which causes gate G2 to go nonconductive when more than one of the chord playing keys is closed at the same time.

The cancel circuit includes the resistors R1, of FIG. 2, which are connected in series with respective blades of the switches controlled by the chord playing keys and between cancel buss 190 and a wire 192.

Wire 192 is resistively connected to a minus 12 volts supply and to a terminal of a circuit component C1 which supplies positive voltage to wire 194 when actuated. Actuation of component C1 occurs whenever more than one of the switch blades in series with resistors R1 is closed at the same time.

Wire 194 is resistively connected to the base of a transistor Q16 and which is normally conductive because of the resistive connection of the base to a negative voltage supply. Transistor Q16 when conductive holds transistor Q15 nonconductive and when a positive voltage on wire 194 makes transistor Q16 go nonconductive, transistor Q15 will go conductive and blade 78 will go negative and supply gate disabling voltage to gate G2 if blade 78 is resting on terminal 74. A connection can be taken from terminal 74 to the pedal keyer,-as by wire 82, to disable the pedal keyers at the same time.

' FIG. 4 shows how a typical set of connections are made in the chord matrix M of FIG. 2 to play a certain chord and also to play the major and minor pedal notes via keyers 56 and 64 which pertain to the respective chord.

The third blade 90 of switch 52 is connected to terminal 102 and is closed on a terminal 110 during normal organ operation. Terminal is connected to the ing of a pedal tone will cause the circuit to drive blade to ground and start the pulse source during normal organ operation.

In FIG. 4, the connections leading from the fifth one of the special keys from the left are illustrated. This key plays the F major chord and the F and C pedal tones as the major and minor, respectively. As to the chord, the F, A, and C tones are preferably taken from each of two ranges of tones related as the octaves.

Each pair of tones of the same designation are connected via a resistor R2 to a point which is connected to ground via a resistor R3. The junction point between R2 and R3 is then connected via a resistor R4 to a keyer (58 in FIG. 2) under the control of a respective blade of the key referred to so that upon depressing of the key, all six tones making up the chord, namely, the tones F, A, and C of two octave ranges are keyed via the respective keyer to the chord buss and thence to the input side of gate G2.

Keying voltage is also applied from a further blade of the same key via diodes D1 and D2 to the keyers for the F tone of the major pedal tones and to the C tone of the minor pedal tones and which tones are keyed to the input sides of gates G3 and G4. Each pedal tone may consist of 8 foot and 16 foot notes, if desired.

As mentioned previously, during chord playing, gate G1, consisting of gates Gla, Glb, and Glc, is nonconductive so as to block regular accompaniment manual tones, while gate G2 is conductive and gates G3a, 63b and G40, G4b become alternately conductive.

The provision of the capacitor-resistor network connecting each output side of the multivibrator with the control terminals of the respective pedal note gates provides for a more rapid attack than decay in the tone produced when a pedal note gate is actuated and which is a desirable characteristic to impart to the tone.

OPERATION The operation of the organ according to the present invention will become apparent from the following description and upon reference to FIG. 5.

In normal program operation, all of the switches S1, S2, S3 and S4 can be in the positions illustrated and the on-off switch 97 which controls the programmed rhythm unit 99 is in its open position. Under these conditions, the solo manual of the organ will play in a conventional manner, and the accompaniment manual will also play in a conventional manner with each key keying a single note. Also, the pedal keyboard will operate with the pedals 52 each keying a single note. At this time, the signal control units 105 andl07 are in continuously conductive condition and signals will pass therethrough without interruption.

By closing switch 97, the program rhythm unit 99 can be made effective and by closing switch blade 100 on terminal 102 and with switch blade -104 resting on terminal 106 and with blade 90 resting on terminal 1 10, the units at and 107 are made active, and each time a pedal note is keyed by depressing a pedal 52, the source of pulses will run and the programmed rhythm unit at 99 will supply pulses to units 105 and 107 and thereby periodically interrupt the signals passing therethrough thereby producing a rhythmic sounding of the pedal notes and the notes which are keyed by the keys of the accompaniment manual.

To operate the organ in the mode according to the present invention, switch S1 .is moved to its upper position, thereby to disable gate G1 and to enable gate G2 and to supply keying voltage to the switch blades 62 of the chord playing keys of the accompaniment manual while also connecting component C1 to terminal 74 to permit disabling of gate G2 and the pedal keyer under certain conditions while also separating blade 90 from terminal 110 thereby disconnecting component C2 from the circuit.

Switch S3 is also moved to its upper position thereby closing blade 100 on terminal 102 and closing blade 91 on its terminal. Switch S2 is moved to its lower position closing blade 93 on its terminal and also closing blade 94 on its terminal and opening blade 95.

The closing of blades 93 and 91 forms a bypass around the switch 97 of the programmed rhythm unit 99 so that this unit now becomes continuously effective.

The closing of blade 94 insures a supply of trigger pulses to the multistable multivibrator 92 while the opening of blade 95 unclamps gate G3 to permit alternate enabling and disabling thereof by pulses from multivibrator 92.

The organ now operates in the following manner. The solo manual plays in the conventional manner with each key controlling a single tone. The keys of the accompaniment manual, not provided with chord playing keys, are now disabled, while the chord playing keys of the lower manual each control a respective chord keyer 58 and a respective pair of keyers pertaining to the major and minor pedal tones, respectively.

Thus, each time a chord playing key of the accompaniment manual is depressed, a chord is keyed and, also, the major and minor pedal tones pertaining thereto are also keyed. The accompaniment manual chord signals are supplied to gate G2 while the major pedal tone signals are supplied to gate G3 and a minor pedal tone signals are supplied to gate G4.

Gate G2 is, at this time, enabled and gates G3 and G4 are alternately enabled in conformity with pulses supplied to the control terminals thereof from multivibrator 92. As each of the aforementioned gates is enabled, signals pass therethrough to the respective one of components 105, 107, and as these units are pulsed to conductive condition by pulses from the programmed rhythm unit at 99, the signals are selected to pass therethrough to the electroacoustic transducer means at 38. a 1

As has been mentioned, since the depressing of more than one of the chord playing keys at one time can produce a discord, the cancel circuit made up of the resistors R1 and component C1 is provided which will supply gate disabling voltage to gate G2 when more than one chord playing key is depressed at any one time, while also supplying disabling voltage to the pedal keyer.

Assuming that only one chord playing key is depressed at one time, the pulses occurring in the system are substantially as indicated in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, line 200 indicates the operation of a chord playing key with the raised part of the line showing the interval during which the key is depressed. Directly beneath line 200 is a line 202 which indicates the period of time during which the pulse source operates and which is triggered into operation by components C3 which drives blade 104 to ground each time a chord playing key is depressed. The length of time that the source of pulses runs is slightly longer than the period that the key 200 is depressed, say, from about 0.6 seconds to 1 second.

The line below line 200 shows the pulses 204 which are supplied by programmed rhythm unit 99 to wire 103 which leads to the control terminal of the signal control unit 107 pertaining to the pedal keyboard. Directly beneath the last mentioned line, is a line showing the pulses 206 which are supplied by unit 99 to wire 101 which leads to the control terminal of the signal control unit 105 pertaining to the accompaniment manual.

The pulse source at 98 also supplies pulses through switch blade 94 to the control or trigger terminal of multistable multivibrator 92 and these pulses are shown at 208 in the next line in FIG. 5.

The next line, indicated at 210, shows the period that the chord which is keyed by the chord playing key that is depressed will supply signals through gate G2 and voice circuit means VA to control unit 105. It will be noted that the chord signals continue for the same length of time that the chord playing key is depressed.

The next line, at 212, shows the periods during which the major pedal keyer 56 will supply signals, and it will be seen that the period commences with the closing of the chord playing key and terminates with the first one of pulses 208 and then commences with the next one of pulses 208.

The next line, 214, shows the intervals during which the minor chord keyer can supply signals through its gate G4 and this will be seen to be the reverse of line 212 which comes about because the same monostable multivibrator 92 supplies the signals to both of the gates G3 and G4. Lines 212 and 214 thus indicate the intervals during which gates G3 and G4 are conductive.

The next line, 216, shows the intervals during which signal control unit 107 is conductive, while passing the signals supplied thereto from gates G3 and G4. It will be noted that while gate G3 is conductive, the major pedal tone signals from gate G3 sound and these signals will be seen to occur in conformity with pulses 204. After the multivibrator 92 changes state, so as to make gate G4 conductive and gate G3 nonconductive, the minor pedal notes will pass through gate G4 and unit 107 and these again will conform chronologically .to pulses 204.

Finally, line 218 shows signals from control unit 105 to electroacoustic means 38 and which corresponds to the the sounding of the accompaniment chords. The chord sounds will be seen to conform to the pulses 206.

It will be understood that any desired rhythm pattern could be employed, and that the source of pulses could be derived from any sort of pulse generating devices. Individual pulse generating devices could be provided for all of the gates although, preferably, the pulses are derived on a single pulse or from synchronized pulses for obvious reasons.

It will also be evident that as few or as many keys of the accompaniment manual could be arranged for keying chords as might be desired and that the chords could be made up in any desired manner with fewer or more than the six notes illustrated and described and that, likewise, the pedal tones for accompanying the chords could be derived in any desired manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electronic organ; tone generator means having a plurality of output terminals at respective frequencies, electroacoustic transducer means, a plurality of first switches each connecting a respective said terminal to said transducer means, a plurality of second switches each connecting a respective group of said terminals to said transducer means, a plurality of playing keys, each key being associated with a pertaining respective first switch and each being operable when depressed to actuate the respective said first switch, each of a predetermined group of said playing keys being associated with a respective second switch and each being operable when depressed to actuate the respective said second switch, first gate means disposed between at least the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said. group of keys and said transducer means, second gate means disposed between said second switches and said transducer means, each gate means having control terminal means, and a selector switch connected to said control terminal means and having a first position wherein said first gate means is enabled and said second gate means is disabled and a second position wherein said second gate means is enabled and said first gate means is disabled.

2. An electronic organ according to claim 1 which includes control means connecting each key of said group of keys to a pair of said first switches other than those pertaining to said keys of said group of keys and operable when effective for causing actuation of said pair of other first switches in response to the depressing of the respective key of said group of keys, each said pair of first switches comprising a primary switch and a secondary switch, means operable in response to movement of said selector switch into the said second position thereof for making said control means effective and operable in response to movement of said selector switch into the said first position thereof to make said control means ineffective, third gate means disposed between said transducer means and the primary switch of each said pair of other first switches and fourth gate means disposed between said transducer means and the secondary switch of each said pair of other first switches, each of said third and fourth gate means comprising control terminal means, signal pulse generating means connected to the control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means and operable for continuously supplying an enabling signal to the control terminal means of said third gate means while supplying a disabling signal to the control terminal means of said fourth gate means, and selector means adjustable for causing said signal pulse generating means to supply an enabling signal to said control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means alternately while simultaneously supplying a disabling signal to the other thereof.

3. An electronic organ according to claim 2 in which said playing keys include one of said keys in the form of pedal keys each associated with a respective one of said primary switches.

4. An electronic organ according to claim 1 in which said organ comprises upper and lower and pedal keyboards each having playing keys and a said first switch pertaining to each key, said predetermined group of keys comprising a group of the keys of said lower keyboard.

5. An electronic organ according to claim 4 in which said first gate means is disposed between said transducer means and the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said lower keyboard.

6. An electronic organ according to claim 2 in which said organ comprises upper and lower and pedal keyboards each having playing keys and a said first switch pertaining to each key, said predetermined group of keys comprising a group of the keys of said lower keyboard, the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said pedal keyboard comprising said primary switches.

7. An electronic organ according to claim 4 which includes first voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said first switches pertaining to the said upper keyboard, second voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said second switches and the said first switches pertaining to said lower keyboard, and third voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said pairs of first switches.

8. An electronic organ according to claim 4 which includes a fifth gate between said transducer means and said first and second gate means and a sixth gate between said transducer means and said third and fourth gate means, said fifth and sixth gates having control terminals, and rhythm pulse generating means connected to the control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates and selectively operable for cyclically supplying enabling pulses to said control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates.

9. An electronic organ according to claim 8 in which said rhythm pulse generating means supplies different but related pulse patterns to the respective control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates.

10. An electronic organ according to claim 8 which includes means operable in response to movement of said selector means to cause said signal pulse generating means to supply enabling signals alternately to the control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means for initiating operation of said rhythm pulse generating means.

11. An electronic organ according to claim 8 which includes a source of pulses and said signal pulse generating means comprises a bistable multivibrator having an input terminal connected to said source of pulses and having a pair of output terminals, and circuit means connecting each said output terminal to the control terminal means of a respective one of said third and fourth gate means.

' 12. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in the absence of a supply of pulses to the input terminal of said multivibrator to control the supply of voltage to the control terminals of said third and fourth gate means so that said third gate means is enabled while said fourth gate means is disabled.

13. An electronic organ according to claim 2 which includes detector means operable in response to the simultaneous depressing of more than one of said predetermined groups of keys to supply a disabling signal to the control terminal of said second gate means.

14. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in response to the depressing of any of said predetermined groups of keys to initiate operation of said source of pulses.

15. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in response to the depressing of any of the keys of said pedal keyboard to initiate operation of said source of pulses.

1-6. In an electronic organ having playing keys in the form of upper and lower and pedal keyboards, tone generator means having a plurality of outputs at respective frequencies providing tone signals, first gate means having input terminal means and output terminal means, first signal control means actuated by the keys of said lower keyboard and operable when actuated for connecting respective ones of said outputs to said input terminal means of said first gate means, second gate means having input terminal means and output terminal means, second signal control means actuated by predetermined ones of the keys of said lower keyboard and operable when actuated for connecting respective groups of said terminals to the input terminal means of said second gate means, each gate means having a control terminal, selector switch means connected to said control terminals and to sources of enabling and disabling voltages and having a first position for supplying enabling voltage to the control terminal of said first gate means while simultaneously supplying disabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means, said selector means having a second position for supplying disabling voltage to the control terminal of said first. gate means while simultaneously supplying enabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means, and electroacoustic transducer means connected to the said output terminal means of both of said gate means.

17. An electronic-organ according to claim 16 which includes further control means connected to the control terminal of said second gate means and operated by said predetermined ones of said keys and adapted to supply disabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means in response to the simultaneous depressing of more than one of said predetermined ones of said keys.

18. An electronic organ according to claim 16 which includes means adjacent said predetermined ones of said keys bearing indicia aligned with each thereof and which indicates the chord played in response to the depressing of the respective key when said second gate means is enabled, said indicia normally being substantially indiscernable to the organ player, and means actuated by adjustment of said selector means into position wherein said second gate means is enabled and operable to make said indicia readily discernable to the organ player.

19. An electronic organ according to claim 18 in which said last mentioned means comprises illuminating means which is energized by adjustment of said selector means into position wherein said second gate includes further means actuated by each of said predetermined ones of said keys and operable when actuated to control the supply of respective tone signals from said pedal keyboard to said transducer means.

21. An electronic organ according to claim 20 in which each said further means controls the supply of two harmonically related pedal keyboard tone signals to said transducer means, third and fourth gate means having input terminal means receiving respective ones of said pedal keyboard tone signals and having output terminal means connected to said transducer means, means enabling said third gate means while disabling said fourth gate means when said first gate means is enabled, and means for cyclically and alternately enabling said third and fourth gate means while simultaneously disabling the other thereof when said second gate means is enabled.

ectronic organ according to claim 16 which 

1. In an electronic organ; tone generator means having a plurality of output terminals at respective frequencies, electroacoustic transducer means, a plurality of first switches each connecting a respective said terminal to said transducer means, a plurality of second switches each connecting a respective group of said terminals to said transducer means, a plurality of playing keys, each key being associated with a pertaining respective first switch and each being operable when depressed to actuate the respective said first switch, each of a predetermined group of said playing keys being associated with a respective second switch and each being operable when depressed to actuate the respective said second switch, first gate means disposed between at least the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said group of keys and said transducer means, second gate means disposed between said second switches and said transducer means, each gate means having control terminal means, and a selector switch connected to said control terminal means and having a first position wherein said first gate means is enabled and said second gate means is disabled and a second position wherein said second gate means is enabled and said first gate means is disabled.
 2. An electronic organ according to claim 1 which includes control means connecting each key of said group of keys to a pair of said first switches other than those pertaining to said keys of said group of keys and operable when effective for causing actuation of said pair of other first switches in response to the depressing of the respective key of said group of keys, each said pair of first switches comprising a primary switch and a secondary switch, means operable in response to movement of said selector switch into the said second position thereof for making said control means effective and operable in response to movement of said selector switch into the said first position thereof to make said control means ineffective, third gate means disposed between said transducer means and the primary switch of each said pair of other first switches and fourth gate means disposed between said transducer mEans and the secondary switch of each said pair of other first switches, each of said third and fourth gate means comprising control terminal means, signal pulse generating means connected to the control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means and operable for continuously supplying an enabling signal to the control terminal means of said third gate means while supplying a disabling signal to the control terminal means of said fourth gate means, and selector means adjustable for causing said signal pulse generating means to supply an enabling signal to said control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means alternately while simultaneously supplying a disabling signal to the other thereof.
 3. An electronic organ according to claim 2 in which said playing keys include one of said keys in the form of pedal keys each associated with a respective one of said primary switches.
 4. An electronic organ according to claim 1 in which said organ comprises upper and lower and pedal keyboards each having playing keys and a said first switch pertaining to each key, said predetermined group of keys comprising a group of the keys of said lower keyboard.
 5. An electronic organ according to claim 4 in which said first gate means is disposed between said transducer means and the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said lower keyboard.
 6. An electronic organ according to claim 2 in which said organ comprises upper and lower and pedal keyboards each having playing keys and a said first switch pertaining to each key, said predetermined group of keys comprising a group of the keys of said lower keyboard, the said first switches pertaining to the keys of said pedal keyboard comprising said primary switches.
 7. An electronic organ according to claim 4 which includes first voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said first switches pertaining to the said upper keyboard, second voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said second switches and the said first switches pertaining to said lower keyboard, and third voice circuit means between said transducer means and the said pairs of first switches.
 8. An electronic organ according to claim 4 which includes a fifth gate between said transducer means and said first and second gate means and a sixth gate between said transducer means and said third and fourth gate means, said fifth and sixth gates having control terminals, and rhythm pulse generating means connected to the control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates and selectively operable for cyclically supplying enabling pulses to said control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates.
 9. An electronic organ according to claim 8 in which said rhythm pulse generating means supplies different but related pulse patterns to the respective control terminals of said fifth and sixth gates.
 10. An electronic organ according to claim 8 which includes means operable in response to movement of said selector means to cause said signal pulse generating means to supply enabling signals alternately to the control terminal means of said third and fourth gate means for initiating operation of said rhythm pulse generating means.
 11. An electronic organ according to claim 8 which includes a source of pulses and said signal pulse generating means comprises a bistable multivibrator having an input terminal connected to said source of pulses and having a pair of output terminals, and circuit means connecting each said output terminal to the control terminal means of a respective one of said third and fourth gate means.
 12. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in the absence of a supply of pulses to the input terminal of said multivibrator to control the supply of voltage to the control terminals of said third and fourth gate means so that said third gate means is enabled while said fourth gate means is disabled.
 13. An electronic organ according to claim 2 which includes detector means operablE in response to the simultaneous depressing of more than one of said predetermined groups of keys to supply a disabling signal to the control terminal of said second gate means.
 14. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in response to the depressing of any of said predetermined groups of keys to initiate operation of said source of pulses.
 15. An electronic organ according to claim 11 which includes means operable in response to the depressing of any of the keys of said pedal keyboard to initiate operation of said source of pulses.
 16. In an electronic organ having playing keys in the form of upper and lower and pedal keyboards, tone generator means having a plurality of outputs at respective frequencies providing tone signals, first gate means having input terminal means and output terminal means, first signal control means actuated by the keys of said lower keyboard and operable when actuated for connecting respective ones of said outputs to said input terminal means of said first gate means, second gate means having input terminal means and output terminal means, second signal control means actuated by predetermined ones of the keys of said lower keyboard and operable when actuated for connecting respective groups of said terminals to the input terminal means of said second gate means, each gate means having a control terminal, selector switch means connected to said control terminals and to sources of enabling and disabling voltages and having a first position for supplying enabling voltage to the control terminal of said first gate means while simultaneously supplying disabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means, said selector means having a second position for supplying disabling voltage to the control terminal of said first gate means while simultaneously supplying enabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means, and electroacoustic transducer means connected to the said output terminal means of both of said gate means.
 17. An electronic organ according to claim 16 which includes further control means connected to the control terminal of said second gate means and operated by said predetermined ones of said keys and adapted to supply disabling voltage to the control terminal of said second gate means in response to the simultaneous depressing of more than one of said predetermined ones of said keys.
 18. An electronic organ according to claim 16 which includes means adjacent said predetermined ones of said keys bearing indicia aligned with each thereof and which indicates the chord played in response to the depressing of the respective key when said second gate means is enabled, said indicia normally being substantially indiscernable to the organ player, and means actuated by adjustment of said selector means into position wherein said second gate means is enabled and operable to make said indicia readily discernable to the organ player.
 19. An electronic organ according to claim 18 in which said last mentioned means comprises illuminating means which is energized by adjustment of said selector means into position wherein said second gate means is enabled.
 20. An electronic organ according to claim 16 which includes further means actuated by each of said predetermined ones of said keys and operable when actuated to control the supply of respective tone signals from said pedal keyboard to said transducer means.
 21. An electronic organ according to claim 20 in which each said further means controls the supply of two harmonically related pedal keyboard tone signals to said transducer means, third and fourth gate means having input terminal means receiving respective ones of said pedal keyboard tone signals and having output terminal means connected to said transducer means, means enabling said third gate means while disabling said fourth gate means when said first gate means is enabled, and means for cyclically and alternately enabling said third and fourth gate meaNs while simultaneously disabling the other thereof when said second gate means is enabled. 